Between Darkness and Light
by BSparrow
Summary: The sequel to "To Search the Ends of Time". Danielle is happy with Dracula but is unsure about becoming a vampire. Meanwhile, the townspeople are growing weary of being a source of food for Dracula.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, I've finally started the sequel to "To Search the Ends of Time"! I hope you enjoy it! I'm not sure how frequently I'll be able to update but I'll try to keep it going. Thanks for reading.**

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The sun was rising in Transylvania, casting the sky in tender shades of pink and yellow that chased away the blackness of night. Its warmth spread across the ground rapidly as it peeked over the jagged cliffs and then burst into the sky, seeming to wake every creature in the countryside at once.

I watched this magnificent awakening from my new home, a grand old castle perched on a rather precarious cliff that stretched high into the air and afforded me a view of the land for miles around. The trees far below looked like thin green needles, reaching in vain for the sky above but hopelessly rooted to the ground.

This was Dracula's home and he'd told me nothing of its history except that it was a rather recent acquisition to replace his last home. But that didn't tell me much since the place was obviously ancient and recent for Dracula could mean anywhere from 5 years to 50.

I turned my face skyward, closing my eyes and savoring the warmth of the sun's rays against my skin. Dracula had told me to get my fill of sunlight before my change and I was working on that. Thinking about him brought a smile to my face. He'd been so patient and gentle with me, so understanding of the trepidation I felt about accepting his "gift". A gift that would relegate me to eternal darkness and damnation but one that I wanted so badly to accept because I knew how happy it would make him. He'd had so little happiness in his long, lonely existence.

I turned away from the light and moved back inside where the cool darkness enveloped me. I knew that somewhere below me, Dracula was already deeply asleep. He was ancient and powerful enough to walk in the light but being a creature of the night, he still preferred darkness.

I, however, had yet to adjust completely to his nocturnal schedule. It was hard to completely change the way I had lived for so many years. Dracula had assured me that once I was changed, this transition would be much easier.

I pushed these thoughts away as I moved through the dark stone rooms, empty except for the barest bits of furnishing. The castle hadn't exactly been redecorated and it contained practically no modern luxuries. The shockingly uncomfortable beds made me long for my comfortable furniture back home and thinking of home tugged at my heart with surprising strength. I knew my parents wouldn't be all that concerned about not hearing from me, they'd always been flighty, but the thought of never seeing them again hurt more than I had ever expected it to.

As tears filled my eyes, I realized that I had to get out of the castle for a little while before these ancient walls began closing in on me. I needed to be out in the sun again, while I still had the chance. Dracula was no doubt sleeping so heavily that he would never miss me and I would certainly be back before he awakened for the evening.

My mood was much brighter as I pushed open the heavy wooden doors and slipped out into the sunlight. I decided immediately to head down the road a bit to the small town just a couple of miles away. There was a market there and I hoped I would be able to buy a few things to use around the house.

I arrived at the town much quicker than I had expected, enjoying my walk even though the sun was already sizzling overhead.

"Hello! Bună dimineaţa!" I called out as I got closer; noticing that practically everyone in town was frozen in place, watching me.

"Bună?" I called again, my greeting more hesitant this time as no one replied.

I glanced around, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Perhaps my decision to come here had been a stupid one. The townspeople were still staring with varying degrees of hostility or fear showing on their faces.

Finally, an older man stepped forward. He was bent and gnarled, like the trunk of a tree, and his dark face was deeply creased with age. He put out his twisted hand and I accepted it hesitantly as he murmured a quiet greeting in his native tongue. I was stunned when he switched to heavily accented English.

"You speak English, yes?" He asked, motioning for me to sit in a small wooden chair beside his in the shade.

I nodded, then sat, watching as everyone went back to their tasks while still watching me from the corners of their eyes.

"Yes. You live in the castle with…him…yes?" He patted my hand, drawing my gaze back to him.

His eyes were bright against his sun beaten skin and I couldn't help but smile as I nodded again.

"You will excuse the people in this town? They are…cautious…of outsiders." He explained, his mouth contorting in a grimace.

"I understand. I'm sorry to intrude; I just wanted to do some shopping." I explained, motioning to the small stalls set up around us.

The town was so rural that I could hardly imagine the vendors did much business, but here they were, set up just the same.

He nodded slowly then smiled at me, turning my hand over in his and seemingly examining my skin. His eyes scanned my face, my eyes, and finally my mouth before he smiled suddenly, apparently satisfied.

"Go now, buy what you need. You do not need to be afraid here." He said, releasing my hand but still watching me like a hawk.

His choice of words seemed very strange to me and they continued to echo in my head as I hurried away to browse through the stalls of food, cloth, and jewelry. I bought a few things but my heart wasn't in it anymore and I felt relieved when I arrived back home.

The rest of the day passed unremarkably, the hours long while I waited for Dracula to wake up. As the sun sank below the horizon, casting the same eerie red glow across the land, I couldn't help but think about my first glimpse of this land.

"Danielle." His low voice pulled me from my daydream and I turned, happy to see him.

He pulled me into his arms, his lips finding mine, his hands cool as marble against my skin. He pulled away, his fingertips tracing the outline of my features as his eyes bored into mine. He looked at me like this every night but his expression was still hard to explain. It felt as if he was still in disbelief that I was really here and he was relieved every night that I hadn't left him while he slept.

"Will tonight be the night, my dear?" He asked, his lips curling into a wry grin.

"No, it won't be tonight. Maybe tomorrow night." I teased, twirling a lock of his hair around my finger.

We played this game every evening and he was certainly being patient but I knew eventually I would need to accept.

"Tomorrow night then." He agreed, and then kissed me again.

I was still clutching at him when he disappeared to do his hunting, leaving me with my arms wrapped around nothing but air. I cursed under my breath but I couldn't help but smile as I heard his low laughter echoing faintly from somewhere outside.


	2. Chapter 2

I tried to stay awake until Dracula returned by reading but the old book I'd found lying around the castle didn't hold my attention for long. I must have fallen asleep because I was suddenly shocked back awake by a cold hand shaking my shoulder none-too-gently.

"Wake up, Danielle." His voice was low and serious.

I rubbed my eyes, sitting up on the bed. My Dracula sat at the edge, his expression unreadable. The candle beside my bed had been lit, casting a dim glow in the room but the window behind him was still shrouded in complete darkness so I knew it was still early in the night. I smiled, thinking he had come to give me a goodnight kiss.

"Where did you go while I was asleep today, Danielle?" He asked offhandedly instead, his hand grasping mine as it reached for him, pinning it to the mattress so easily.

The smile froze on my lips and even I could hear my heart thudding more quickly in my chest.

"You went to Ecura." It wasn't a question.

"Is Ecura the little town with the market right down the road?" I asked innocently, still pretending to be half-asleep though I was wide awake now.

"Yes, you know that is Ecura. Why were you there?" He asked.

His tone was steady, not accusing, but I knew he wasn't pleased by my actions. By no means did he want me to feel like a prisoner but he was concerned for my safety, especially after the horrible incidents at the beginning of our relationship. So he had been quite adamant about my not leaving the castle without him, especially when he was in a weakened state as he was during the daylight hours.

"I just wanted to do some shopping. It was nothing; it's such a small town. No one bothered me. How did you know I was there?"

"I could smell you there." He said simply, his eyes meeting mine.

"Oh. Oh…why were _you_ in Ecura?"

"So many questions," He laughed, finally releasing my hand and beginning to absent-mindedly stroke the inside of my wrist with his cool fingertips.

"That was only like two questions. Besides, I know you weren't visiting the market." I replied, rolling my eyes but scooting closer to him on the bed.

"In a way I suppose I was." One corner of his mouth lifted in a wry smile.

"What? Oh. _Oh._ In Ecura? So close to home?" I gasped at the realization.

His expression revealed his surprise at my reaction. He looked into my eyes searchingly, tilting his head.

"You are surprised? Surely you are not so naïve."

I bristled at this but pressed my lips together, not responding to his insult. He didn't seem to notice.

"Tell me why you didn't mention this to me." He prompted, now drawing small circles across my skin with his fingers.

I hesitated for a moment, considering my answer before I spoke, "I guess it was a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing. I get kind of bored and…well, lonely. The day seems so long while you're asleep."

"The day is not so long." He disagreed softly.

"It is for me! I'm all alone in this huge, empty castle! It's cold and my bed is old and hard! No one is ever around and I have nothing to do!" The words came spilling out before I realized what I was saying and I instantly regretted them.

"I had forgotten that humans were so _needy_." He said, sighing in disgust, his expression clearly communicating his disdain for human frailty.

I winced, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, really it's not so bad…I shouldn't complain. At least I have you."

"No, no, if you are unhappy you should tell me. If you want a new bed then you will have a new bed. And if you would accept my offer, you would have plenty of things to occupy your time."

His grin was sly as he brought my wrist to his lips, pressing a feather-light kiss against it.

"I know. I'm working on that and it will be soon. And…thanks. About the bed I mean." I replied awkwardly, distracted by his lips moving slowly up my arm.

He just nodded so I went on, knowing I was pushing my luck a bit.

"And speaking of new things… I wouldn't mind moving to a smaller home. We don't need this huge castle just for the two of us. We could live in a cute little house and it might not seem so empty and dark all the time."

He paused, looking up at me with a dark expression, "You want to live like a peasant?"

"What? No! What do you mean?" I stuttered, caught off-guard by his harsh tone.

"In my time, only peasants lived in that way. Powerful men lived in castles, both for the recognition and for the protection it afforded them. I could not live in a small home, no matter how 'cute' you profess it to be. I still require the protection of a castle." His voice was serious and unyielding.

I swallowed my objections and just nodded, finally smiling, "That's fine, that's okay. I didn't realize...well, I guess I could live in a huge castle with you forever then."

He smiled sadly, "Nothing is forever, my love."

"Except you, you're forever. And I will be when I'm like you." I objected, smiling at the thought.

"No, I am not forever. I am just…for a long time. One day, I too will taste death and the taste will be sweet. I will welcome it after so many centuries of walking this earth, so long as I spend my last moments with you." His tone was reverent, strange even for him.

My chest tightened at the thought of him dying one day, no matter how far in the future it might be. Tears rushed to my eyes, blurring my vision of his now concerned face.

"No! You-you can't die and leave me! I can't imagine facing eternity without you!" I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but my voice still sounded hoarse.

He pulled me into his lap, cradling me against his hard chest as if I were a child. His voice was soothing against my ear as whispered about the many lifetimes together we still had ahead of us. I found comfort in his embrace and soon, sleep had claimed me again.


End file.
